pbien.jaws-第50章
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strong。
You would have been a real asset to me。 And I think I could have given you a life you would have loved。〃
Ellen smiled。 〃I'm not as strong as you think; Larry。 I don't know what kind of。。。
asset I would have been。〃
〃Don't belittle yourself。 I only hope Martin appreciates the treasure he has。〃
Vaughan finished his drink and put the glass in the sink。 〃Anyway; no point in dreaming。〃 He walked across the kitchen; touched Ellen's shoulder; and kissed the top of her head。 〃Good…by; dear;〃 he said。 〃Think of me once in a while。〃
Ellen looked at him。 〃I will。〃 She kissed his cheek。 〃Where are you going?〃
〃I don't know。 Vermont; maybe; or New Hampshire。 I might sell land to the skiing crowd。 Who knows? I might even take up the sport myself。〃
〃Have you told Eleanor?〃
〃I told her we might be moving。 She just smiled and said; 'Whatever you wish。'〃
〃Are you leaving soon?〃
〃As soon as I chat with my lawyers about my。。。 liabilities。〃
〃Send us a card so we'll know where you are。〃
〃I will。 Good…by。〃 Vaughan left the room; and Ellen heard the screen door close behind him。
When she had served the children their supper; Ellen went upstairs and sat on her bed。 〃A life you would have loved;〃 Vaughan had said。 what would a life with Larry Vaughan have been like? There would have been money; and acceptance。 She would never have missed the life she led as a girl; for it would never have ended。 There would have been no craving for renewal and self…confidence and confirmation of her femininity; no need for a fling with someone like Hooper。
But no。 She might have been driven to it by boredom; like so many of the women who spent their weeks in Amity while their husbands were in New York。 Life with Larry Vaughan would have been life without challenge; a life of cheap satisfactions。
As she pondered what Vaughan had said; she began to recognize the richness of her life: a relationship with Brody more rewarding than any Larry Vaughan would ever experience; an amalgam of minor trials and tiny triumphs that; together; added up to something akin to joy。 And as her recognition grew; so did a regret that it had taken her so long to see the waste of time and emotion in trying to cling to her past。 Suddenly she felt fear … fear that she was growing up too late; that something might happen to Brody before she could savor her awareness。 She looked at her watch: 6:20。 He should have been home by now。 Something has happened to him; she thought。 Oh please; God; not him。
She heard the door open downstairs。 She jumped off the bed; ran into the hall and down the stairs。 She wrapped her arms around Brody's neck and kissed him hard on the mouth。
〃My God;〃 he said when she let him go。 〃That's quite a wele。〃
Chapter 13
〃You're not putting that thing on my boat;〃 said Quint。
They stood on the dock in the brightening light。 The sun had cleared the horizon; but it lay behind a low bank of clouds that touched the eastern sea。 A gentle wind blew from the south。 The boat was ready to go。 Barrels lined the bow; rods stood straight in their holders; leaders snapped into eyelets on the reels。 The engine chugged quietly; sputtering bubbles as tiny waves washed against the exhaust pipe; coughing diesel fumes that rose and were carried away by the breeze。
At the end of the dock a man got into a pickup truck and started the engine; and the truck began to move slowly off down the dirt road。 The words stenciled on the door of the truck read: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute。
Quint stood with his back to the boat; facing Brody and Hooper; who stood on each side of an aluminum cage。 The cage was slightly over six feet tall and six feet wide and four feet deep。 Inside; there was a control panel: atop were two cylindrical tanks。
On the floor of the cage were a scuba tank; a regulator; a face mask; and a wet suit。
〃Why not?〃 said Hooper。 〃It doesn't weigh much; and I can lash it down out of the way。〃
〃Take up too much room。〃
〃That's what I said;〃 said Brody。 〃But he wouldn't listen。〃
〃What the hell is it anyway?〃 said Quint。
〃It's a shark cage;〃 said Hooper。 〃Divers use them to protect themselves when they're swimming in the open ocean。 I had it sent down from Woods Hole … in that truck that just left。〃
〃And what do you plan to do with it?〃
〃When we find the fish; or when the fish finds us; I want to go down in the cage and take some pictures。 No one's ever been able to photograph a fish this big before。〃
〃Not a chance;〃 said Quint。 〃Not on my boat。〃
〃Why not?〃
〃It's foolishness; that's why。 A sensible man knows his limits。 That's beyond your limits。〃
〃How do you know?〃
〃It's beyond any man's limits。 A fish that big could eat that cage for breakfast。〃
〃But would he? I don't think so。 I think he might bump it; might even mouth it; but I don't think he'd seriously try to eat it。〃
〃He would if he saw something as juicy as you inside。〃
〃I doubt it。〃
〃Well; forget it。〃
〃Look; Quint; this is a chance of a lifetime。 Not just for me。 I wouldn't have thought of doing it until I saw the fish yesterday。 It's unique; at least in this hemisphere。
And even though people have filmed great whites before; no one's ever filmed a twentyfoot white swimming in the open ocean。 Never。〃
〃He said forget it;〃 said Brody。 〃So forget it。 Besides; I don't want the responsibility。 We're out here to kill that fish; not make a home movie about it。〃
〃What responsibility? You're not responsible for me。〃
〃Oh yes I am。 The town of Amity is paying for this trip; so what I say goes。〃
Hooper said to Quint; 〃I'll pay you。〃
Quint smiled。 〃Oh yeah? How much?〃
〃Forget it;〃 said Brody。 〃I don't care what Quint says。 I say you're not bringing that thing along。〃
Hooper ignored him and said to Quint; 〃A hundred dollars。 Cash。 In advance; the way you like it。〃 He reached into his back pocket for his wallet。
〃I said no!〃 said Brody。
〃What do you say; Quint? A hundred bucks。 Cash。 Here it is。〃 He counted five twenties and held them out to Quint。
〃I don't know。〃 Then Quint reached for the money and said; 〃Shit; I don't suppose it's my business to keep a man from killing himself if he wants to。〃
〃You put that cage on the boat;〃 Brody said to Quint; 〃and you don't get your four hundred。〃
If Hooper wants to kill himself; Brody thought; let him do it on his own time。
〃And if the cage doesn't go;〃 said Hooper; 〃I don't go。〃
〃Fuck yourself;〃 said Brody。 〃You can stay here; for all I care。〃
〃I don't think Quint would like that。 Right; Quint? You want to go out and take on that fish with just you and the chief? You feel good about that?〃
〃We'll find another man;〃 said Brody。
〃Go ahead;〃 Hooper snapped。 〃Good luck。〃 〃Can't do it;〃 said Quint。 〃Not on this short notice。〃
〃Then the hell with it!〃 said Brody。 〃We'll go tomorrow。 Hooper can go back to Woods Hole and play with his fish。〃 Hooper was angry … angrier; in fact; than he knew; for before he could stop himself; he had said; 〃That's not all I might。。。 Oh; forget it。〃
For several seconds; a leaden silence fell over the three men。 Brody stared at Hooper; unwilling to believe what he had heard; uncertain how much substance there was in the remark and how much empty threat。 Then suddenly he was overe by rage。 He reached Hooper in two steps; grabbed both sides of his collar; and rammed his fists into Hooper's throat。 〃What was that?〃 he said。 〃What did you say?〃
Hooper could hardly breathe。 He clawed at Brody's fingers。 〃Nothing!〃 he said; choking。 〃Nothing!〃 He tried to back away; but Brody gripped him tighter。
〃What did you mean by that?〃
〃Nothing; I tell you! I was angry。 It was something to say。〃
〃Where were you last Wednesday afternoon?〃
〃Nowhere!〃 Hooper's temples were throbbing。 〃Let me go! You're choking me!〃
〃Where were you?〃 Brody twisted his fists tighter。
〃In a motel! Now let me